MONDAY, March 24, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The prevalence and severity of refractive astigmatism and corneal astigmatism increased among schoolchildren after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study published online March 20 in JAMA Ophthalmology.

Ka Wai Kam, from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and colleagues reported the prevalence of refractive astigmatism and corneal astigmatism in schoolchildren from 2015 to 2023 in a population-based cross-sectional study. Schoolchildren aged 6 to 8 years who underwent comprehensive ocular examinations at two academic medical centers in Hong Kong from 2015 to 2023 were included; the cohort was composed of 21,655 children.

The researchers found that in 2015, the prevalence rate of refractive astigmatism of at least 1.0 diopter (D) was 21.4 percent and the prevalence rate of corneal astigmatism of at least 1.0 D was 59.8 percent; the prevalence rates increased to 34.7 and 64.7 percent, respectively, in 2022 to 2023. Compared with the prepandemic period of 2015 to 2019, increases of 20 and 26 percent were seen in the risk for refractive astigmatism and corneal astigmatism, respectively, in association with the pandemic (odds ratios, 1.20 and 1.26, respectively), with corresponding increases of 0.04 and 0.05 D in the magnitude of refractive and corneal astigmatisms, after adjustment for sociodemographic factors, parental astigmatism, and child myopia.

“Given the high prevalence of astigmatism, the potential impact of higher degrees of astigmatism may warrant dedicated efforts to elucidate the relationship between environmental and/or lifestyle factors, as well as the pathophysiology of astigmatism, in order to preserve children’s eyesight and quality of life,” the authors write.

One author reported a patent pending and disclosed ties to OCUS Innovation.

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